Reel 9: September 13, 1954/Transcript
This is the official transcript for the episode which can also be accessed for free at'' patreon.com/withinthewires''Amy! That story. Holy shit. (reading) "Following last Tuesday's botched raid on a suspected militia stronghold in Sundsvall (former Sweden), lawmakers in the Western European Regionality are questioning the legality of the Internal Investigation Division's armament, as well as the thoroughness of their procedures." So the police there gunned down a dozen people they thought were in a militia. Turns out no. Turns out there's no proof of that. I mean there was definitely something up there. They found rifles stockpiled in a basement, you know. After they’d killed everyone. But the I.I.D. didn't have sufficient evidence for a raid in the first place. And the existence of the rifles is the only evidence they have after the fact. So. Also further down: "Western European Councilmember Heike Köenig pointed to the identical manufacture of both militia and police weapons. More than 2 dozen of the rifles used in the raid by the police had no serial number, pointing to an illicit and undocumented over-arming of the police. Köenig is calling for a hearing to discuss armament policies for local and regional law enforcement." Amy. It's Karen. They're not saying it yet, but this is definitely Karen. Find out what you can about Councilmember Köenig. I want to send her some information. Maybe a bottle of wine. I mean, a dozen people died. Very suspicious people. But there were fatalities. I am not celebrating that. But oh my god. This might be it. Karen’s done. # # # Amy, when the bailiffs raided our office last week they cleaned out my desk. I can't even find a fucking pen that works. Did they give you any indication as to when they're coming back with our things? Surely they should have left some kind of receipt? With a date of expected return? I'm worried that all of our files are going to be held indefinitely - if it’s true they want them as evidence at the tribunal, god knows when we’ll get them back. I mean it may well be a full year before it’s even scheduled. It's hard to get much done when I don't have any of the files that contain the work I need to get done. At least I still have a phone. # # # Never mind the files - do you know what I really miss? They took that picture of me and Vivi from our first anniversary, in front of the Cliffs of Moher. I hated that picture. I look terrible in it, just awful. But Vivi. She's laughing, and leaping high in the air, like a - what's that ballet move called where the dancer basically does the splits in mid air, with their arms straight out, fingers that look kind of limp but are really tightly controlled? A jeté? All these years watching dance with Vivi, and I still don't know the terminology. Anyway, she's grinning and carefree, wind-whipped hair at the edge of the world, and I'm 4 feet in front of her stiff as a board and obviously terrified. Do you realize that people do handstands along those cliffs? People sit down and dangle their feet! Like it's not a thousand foot fall! I was so tense there. And Vivi - she was so free. She loves that photo - that was the only reason I kept in on my desk. But over the years, I don’t know. I ended up loving it too. I think as you get older you start to look deeper into yourself, truly see yourself, and be okay with it. Well, the bailiffs took the photo, like there's going to be a goddamned note on the back saying "We definitely should pay some bribes." Idiots. # # # Actually, you know what the worst thing is? They took the espresso machine. The espresso machine? What kind of evidence are you going to find in an espresso machine. They told me it was because they thought it was a gift. I told the guy I get flowers all the time. Sometimes wine. He tried to explain semantic gray areas to me. I got a headache from it. Probably because I don't have any fucking espresso. He does though. That’s probably why he took it - it’s not part of the investigation at all. The bastard just wanted some coffee. # # # Amy, a couple weeks ago - in fact it was a couple days before the bailiffs arrived - I don’t know if I should tell you this… But, well... I had left the office for the night, but I’d forgotten my hat. So I came back, and you were still here. You didn’t see me - I didn’t end up coming in. I just looked through the door. You were holding a pair of scissors and some Scotch tape. Next to you was a trash bag. And a pile of dictaphone reels. What were you editing out? I probably shouldn’t mention this to you on a recording, should I? We are still under surveillance. But you seem pretty adept at audio editing. So I trust we'll be fine here. Who were you protecting? Yourself? Me? Vishwathi? You're a enigma, Amy. Vivi and I still haven't had you over for dinner. The pregnancy will have to delay that. But there's so much about you I still don't know. # # # Amy, letter to Alejandra Reagan, Vancouver, September 13, 1954 Dear Alejandra, I received my copy of last Monday's Sun today, and I wanted to commend you on a well-written piece. Just superb. Thank you so much for bringing the domestic espionage issue to light & providing a carefully researched story for your readers. I expect some real change to come from your hard work on this. Thank you for reaching out to me for comment. Best, Michael Witten # # # Amy, I received a letter from the North American Department of Childhood Development in Baltimore. You know what this is in reference to. I want to help you, and I will. I'm not an asshole. Am I an asshole, Amy? I'll answer that for you: yes. At times. Definitely I could have treated you better in certain moments. But I think this goes both ways. So, looks like the people in the Childhood Development office want to hire you as a project manager. I had no idea you were interested in Childhood Development. I thought you studied science in school. I'm constantly surprised by how little I know about you. Amy Castillo: full of surprises. Perhaps that's what I'll write back. They're looking for a recommendation from me. "Dear Department of Childhood Development, Amy is a great worker, supremely competent, and so full of surprises." How long have we worked together, Amy? For some reason, I can't ever remember. After all this time, you still hide things from me. Just so you know, it's standard protocol to tell your references first, before you apply for a job. You want to make sure that the person who is going to speak to your talent and worth will actually be prepared and willing to speak to your talent and worth. This is quite the promotion. Who else is writing recommendations for you? Or were you recruited? I didn't consider that. Perhaps they saw the job you did regarding the Vancouver situation, and Amy, let me tell you, it was quite the job you did. "Oh, that Amy Castillo, she'll keep you on your toes. Yes, quite the candidate for your department." Amy, I know you've always been on my side, and I appreciate that. I just wish you would have communicated better. I'm going to tell the people in Baltimore that. Don't worry. I'll tell them you're the best, most responsible, smartest person they'll meet. But I can't leave off aspects of your performance you should work on. Perhaps when I have to hire a new secretary, I'll implement a review system. Maybe more get-to-know-you time, too. Or maybe not. I never really got to know you, and I'm sure I won't find anyone better, so why would I start with them? I suppose I should keep this letter confidential. Which means I'll have to type it myself. # # # Letter from the office of Michael Witten to Ursula Lindholm, Director of Communications, Department of Global Trade, European Office. September 13 Dear Ursula, sigh Thank you for the gift you sent me earlier this week. The painting is quite striking and will, I’m sure, look excellent once it’s hanging in the entrance room of my office suite. I’ve been overwhelmed by the support I’ve received over the past few days since everything came to light in Vancouver, but I wanted to get in touch with you particularly, to let you know just how much I value your backing, as I leave Chicago for my new post at the New Society Governance Center in Toronto. groan (Amy, please don't transcribe my groan of distaste there. Or do, but then draw a smiley face.) I’m sorry to hear about the inquiries into the Oslo militia raid. I know all too well the struggles of battling back bad press. I am happy to speak with the Secretary of International Security Aimee Gagnon during her visit in December about our best approach to your situation. Fair warning, I have a lot on my plate in the months ahead cleaning up the mess that was left by my current Department of Trade. I’m happy to look into the issues you’ve raised, but I cannot guarantee a timeframe on any feedback - at least not until I’ve properly taken stock of the work ahead of me and my new team. I’m delighted to hear you’ll be in town next week, and your invitation to dinner is most welcome, but I’m afraid my schedule is a bit full. I should be delighted to recommend some places you can eat, though. Kind regards, Michael Witten ##### Letter from the office of Michael Witten, to Bernice Jones, Minister for Culture, North American Region Dear Bernice, Thank you so much for the flowers and wine, they are definitely appreciated! I think I’ll be saving the wine for Vivienne's return from the Pregnancy Center. Vivi gave birth, by the way! It's easy to imagine the excitement the Last Generation must have felt bringing a child into the world - it’s impossible not to feel some kind of connection to a baby after all those months. We were not allowed to name the child, but they certainly took our suggestions. Vivienne liked the name Elnora, but that was her grandmother's name, so they immediately disregarded it. I suggested Nell. I think it’s a pretty name. The representative from the Childhood Development Center really seemed to like it. Maybe it will stick. Anyway, Vivi has to remain at the Center for another month for breast feeding and blood tests. Then they'll take little Nell - I'm calling her Nell - to a childhood center somewhere else in the world. Hopefully someplace beautiful like Goa or Wellington or Portland. It’s incredibly gratifying to hear the kind words you said on my behalf to the Societal Council. I’ve been asked to step into this role so suddenly, I’ll need all the support I can get - it means a lot to know I have yours. I also appreciated your note on a personal level. Yes, it was hard dealing with these revelations being made about someone who had been a mentor to me, and who I always counted a friend. I thought I knew Vishwathi. I obviously did not. My first priority as I assume my new role is to reassure the public of our dedication to their best interests. We must communicate, as a global government, that this scandal does not represent us and that we are making a dogged pursuit of any and all corruption within our ranks. To this end, I am preparing a statement that I’m hoping many members of our government will be willing to sign, regarding our commitment to transparency. I would like to ask whether I can count on your signature on this statement. I’m sure I don’t need to persuade you on the importance of community support - after all, our society is still new, and any amount of procedural distrust carries with it the risk of losing all we have built over the last few years. I am certain that with dedication and integrity our fledgling government can recover from the uncertainty of these revelations regarding Vishwathi Ramadoss’s past actions. Again, thank you for your support. I greatly look forward to working with you to strengthen our society. Regards, Michael Witten PS: Sorry, Bern, for some of the politician-speak there. I’m writing a lot of these letters this week and couldn’t customize them all. PPS: I hope you and Miguel can make it up to Toronto someday. That artist Claudia Atieno - who you and Vivi love so much - has an exhibit going up at the Royal Ontario Museum next Spring. That would be a lovely double date, wouldn't it? ##### Letter from the office of Michael Witten to Sarah Chisholm, Public Works Department, Philadelphia Office Dear Sarah, I’m sure you’ve heard about some of what’s been happening around here over the past few weeks. I’ll be able to talk properly when we meet. In short: it’s been chaos, but we should have no further roadblocks. As I transition to Toronto, I want you to know our Washington projects are in good hands with Sima Choudary, who has been invaluable to the rebuilding efforts in the South Asia Region. She's a talented developer and project manager. I do not yet know who the next head of North American Trade will be, but Sima has already been charged with oversight of our building reconstruction strategies here in Chicago. I will see to it that she is also the interim manager for Washington as well, in order to keep things moving. I will also, of course, continue to keep an eye on the project even if direct involvement is now outside my remit. I can’t let it go completely after all we’ve been through. First order, of course, is to break contract with KR Development. I already have approval from Toronto to buy out this deal and reopen the bidding to companies not tied to illegal arms manufacture - although they will need to be vetted a lot more rigorously, of course. Once the dust has settled a little you should be clear to proceed - indeed, I think ensuring the new contractors we need to engage are still available would be a good idea. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Regards, Michael Witten ##### Amy, I know I told you about finding the original Vancouver documents. It was embarrassing, if I’m honest. All those times I hectored you about not being able to find them, and it turned out they were in my house. Somehow, without my knowledge, they were in my house the whole time. It’s strange, really. We had so many break-ins last spring. Vishwathi’s goons trying to find… ...these exact files. Strange that they missed them. I didn't tell you how I found them, did I? I had just taken Vivienne to the Pregnancy Center on Wabash. We had a long goodbye - we knew it was going to be at least three months before we saw each other again. I knew it would probably be longer. But when I returned home, I noticed a few things out of place in my office. Pens moved. Some drawers left ajar. I'd been very meticulous over the months since the first break-in. I had kept a close eye on everything. But I noticed nothing missing, and no warning messages. No locks or windows had been broken. But when I went to close the closet door, I couldn't. Something was in the way. There was a box on the floor, turned on its side. It seemed to have fallen from the top shelf of the closet. I turned the box over and written across the side: "Vancouver Data Collection 1950, 1951." It fell from heaven. That was my first thought. God said "okay, enough is enough." Here're your files, Michael.” But I'm not religious. I figured it must have been my fault. How could I not have looked up there? I thought I had looked in every possible location? But not thoroughly enough, I guess. I’ll have to do better in the future. As I found incriminating letter after incriminating letter, all of them signed by Vishwathi, I was so relieved. Like a cool cloth on a fevered face. It was a miracle those thugs hadn’t found them before I did. It's amazing how good those forgeries looked. I compared the letters with my signatures to the ones with Vishwathi's. Almost perfect replicas, save for the lie of my name. Vishwathi did a masterful job. I called my lawyer and we handed those originals over to the bailiffs, and now it's Vishwathi facing tribunal. The Council President herself called me and within days I'd been promoted to Toronto. It was such a whirlwind. Dr. Wood even allowed me a rare visit to the Pregnancy Center so I could tell Vivi. She was, of course, thrilled. She hugged my whole body and I sobbed into her huge belly. I doubt anything will come of Vishwathi's crimes. There's an arraignment next month, and it could take years for a trial to even begin. Plus, she's the fixer. She can fix anything. I somehow doubt she'll even hear the word "prison" let alone see the inside of one. I can only worry about myself, right? I can’t stop thinking about those forgeries though. What a supremely competent job the forger did. Have you ever tried to forge a document, Amy? Somehow I think you’d be good at it. It’s strange, don’t you think, that a person so meticulous at forging documents would be such a shoddy burglar. How could they have missed that box of documents in my closet. How could I have missed it? I was looking just as hard. Shall I tell you what I think now? I think that when I started being followed, someone broke into my home. No - they didn’t break in. The first time I thought a stranger had been inside my house, inside my office, there were no threats or broken windows. Just little things out of place. I didn't think much of it until later when the more terrifying invasions started. The ones where windows and cats were broken. I think the first person who entered my home had a key. I think they knew where I kept my files. Someone with a key let themselves in and stole the Vancouver files. Perhaps made copies. Perhaps even forged new documents for Vishwathi and then told Vishwathi the originals had been destroyed. Then when the time was right, that person, that supremely competent person put the originals back in my house in a way I would find them. Why did you hide those documents from me, Amy? Why did you bring them back? I'm guessing you were protecting yourself, keeping yourself out of this scandal, because you were angling to get a management job at the Department of Childhood Development. That’s not an easy gig to get. I can't tell if you had my back or not Amy. The ends justify the means, though, right? If you saved me, then you're loyal. But if you let me suffer, let Vivi suffer, for months - I don't think that's how loyalty works, Amy. But I guess you and I are at an end, so what does it really matter. I'll send you wine on your first day of work in Baltimore, and you'll send me flowers for my first day in Toronto. Because that's what we all do, isn't it? I still don't understand jazz, but I keep listening to it. Category:Transcripts